Welcome
to the member profile
for Wilfrid Laurier University

2020

Launched a Carbon Reduction Roadmap for their campuses that sets their long-term goals over the next few decades. The document maps out the projects and actions required to achieve Laurier’s GHG reduction targets of 15% by 2022, 40% by 2030, and net-zero campuses by 2050, respectively.

2017

Laurier Energy Efficiency Project (LEEP): Energy efficiency retrofits were conducted over many buildings on campus. Over the past year, phase 1 and 2 were completed, with phase 3 being started as well.

Electric Vehicle Charging Station: 4 Level 2 charging stations for EVs were installed at Lazaridis Hall, with 120 KW power produced from charging stations and rooftop solar PVs.

Laurier Forest: With funds raised in part through a crowdfunding campaign, over 150 trees were planted on campus, including provincial, territorial, national and ceremonial trees, as well as edible fruit trees (micro orchard). This has been conducted on the Waterloo campus so far. The program is being integrated into workshops and courses. Trees will sequester carbon over their lifetime. Gleaners Guild is also part of the project who will be hosting workshops and coordinating harvesting of fruit.

Move Out Program: The move-out program continued in 2017, an initiative that provides waste diversion resources for students who are moving out of residences. The project diverted over 5 tonnes of waste from landfill last year, and the model will be applied to the Brantford campus in 2018.

Sustainability Certificate Series: WLU launched the Staff Sustainability Certificate Series , which provided modules on waste, water and GHG and where staff were tested after attending minimum 5 out of 8 of the modules. So far, 7 people had completed the entire series and gained the certificate. The workshop had 25 spaces available for each of the 8 modules and they were all sold out.The certification was also seen as a professional development tool. As part of the staff sustainability series, REEP, TravelWise,HP Canada and RoW Waste Management division were brought in as speakers for a staff workshop that focused on sustainability.

2016

Resident move out program: Wilfrid Laurier partnered with the Region to target high volume neighborhoods around the campus and created drop waste off locations, as well as incentivised drop offs through coupons to local restaurants. Students were also encouraged to reuse and recycle materials no longer needed; for example, text books were donated to developing countries, resold on Amazon or recycled. E-Waste was also recycled through Tech Wreckers.

Laurier Energy Efficiency Program (LEEP) : Phase 1 of this program was completed by an Energy Service Company (ESCO) following an Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) model. The scope of work included 2 solar thermal walls, conversion from electric heat to high efficiency hydronic system, lighting retrofits, low flow water fixtures, building waste heat recovery, demand control ventilation, HVAC retro-commissioning, and sub-metering with integration to cloud based dashboard. Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) were implemented in 2 buildings at the Waterloo campus and 1 building at the Brantford campus. A comprehensive energy audit was completed simultaneously in the remaining buildings in order to develop energy projects moving forward.

2014

Waste Program Expansion: A new outdoor MOLOKs was outfitted on 4 buildings which will reduce 940 tonnes of GHG.

Annual Residence Energy Competition: The competition saved $3,170 in electricity bills and avoided 11,900 tonnes of GHG emissions.

Mino-Kummik [Aboriginal Community] Garden: Designed as a vegetable and fruit garden it also features a seating area with a 2,350-litre rain-harvesting reservoir, which REEP installed to irrigate the garden in a sustainable manner.

2013

Installed 13000 Gallon Water Reservoir: Laurier installed a 10,000 gallon underground storage tank and a 3,000 gallon above ground storage tank. This has helped WLU manage storm water and also provides the water needed for grounds maintenance.

Completed Water and Natural Gas Sub Meter Installs.

2012

Sub-metered 30 Campus Buildings: With 30 buildings sub-metered WLU will be able to capture not only electricity, but water and natural gas as well. This information will be feeding into their ION EEM Energy Management System for business operations, GHG monitoring, reporting, and will make buildings 40% more energy efficient.

Dashboard to Monitor Real Time Consumption Data: Purchased software that provides a building dashboard of real time consumption data that allows WLU to educate the campus and public on their green features, host reduction competitions between buildings and other universities, and do case study analysis for reporting and curriculum.

Sustainability Representatives: Implemented the Sustainability Reps program, comprised of students in residence. Energy and waste are the main initiatives of the program, including holding energy reduction competitions between residences for prizes.

LEED Building: Opened the Research and Academic Centre in Brantford, which is pending LEED Silver certification.